


this

by Volo



Series: My Harry Potter Fanworks [9]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Coming Out, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Internalized Homophobia maybe, M/M, Pre-Slash, maybe more Draco-centric than one might expect, some grieving going on still, well internalized biphobia anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2020-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:42:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23028745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Volo/pseuds/Volo
Summary: Friends who are boys, but not boyfriends.
Relationships: Scorpius Malfoy/Albus Severus Potter
Series: My Harry Potter Fanworks [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1334902
Comments: 8
Kudos: 101





	this

**Author's Note:**

> Very spontaneous fic I wrote to kick me out of a depressive mood.

His father didn’t like the heat, so — presumably in active spite of nature — the Manor’s rooms were much colder in summer than they were in winter. Scorpius shivered as he re-entered the Manor through the balcony doors. He halted on his way to the kitchens when he realised the echo of his steps on the marble floors wasn’t the only thing he could hear. Faint music was coming from the direction of their music room — Vivaldi’s _Primavera_ , though it didn’t fit the season. One of his mother’s favourites, which was the only reason his father even knew it despite its Muggle composer. 

He always told Scorpius that he should not look down on Muggles, but he did stay as far away from them as possible. Scorpius thought he was afraid more than anything else.

When Scorpius opened the door, he found his father standing in the middle of the room, absently spinning his wand in his hand and eyeing the instruments floating in front of him playing. A ball of heavy emotions settled in Scorpius throat. Neither of them had listened to anything his mother had liked, not since Her Death.

His father turned towards the settee and startled when he noticed his son. He stared at Scorpius for a few seconds with a startlingly intense but unreadable expression on his face. Scorpius waved gracelessly and took a few steps backwards, intending to leave his father alone. His father waved his wand and the instruments behind him abruptly stopped playing.

“Sit down, we need to talk.”

Scorpius swallowed and followed his father to the settee. “You’re not ill, are you?”

His father looked startled. “No. No, I’m not. You’re alright, too, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I’m good! Very healthy. Too many sweets, maybe. I should take up some sort of sporty activity.” Scorpius fingered the hem of his tee. “Is something wrong?”

His father’s eyes flickered down to his fingers and up again. “No...” he drawled. "I do have a question, however. I know I didn’t buy that for you. Did you borrow it from Albus?”

Scorpius looked down at the ‘Team Leaves Parties Early’ slogan on his t-shirt. “Yeah, it's Albus's. We wear each other’s clothing all the time. You don’t like it, do you?” Of course he didn’t like it. His father was much more social than his family name allowed him to be. “It’s — I know, it’s rude. I wouldn’t wear it to an actual party. I just thought at home —”

He broke off when his father waved his hand dismissively. “It’s not about the shirt. I’d not tell you what you can or can’t wear. It’s about Albus. To be precise, Albus and you.”

His father looked at him expectantly, as if what he’d said might be some kind of cue.

Scorpius bit his lip. “I...thought you liked Albus? Or, well, tolerated him.”

His father leaned forwards. “I want you to know that I fully support you.”

Scorpius blinked. “Thanks? Thank you, that’s very nice. Supportive.”

“No, Scorpius, listen. I would never judge for — for anything that might make you feel ashamed. There’s nothing you have to hide.” His father’s eyes were intense in a way Scorpius had never been able to achieve, even though he had his father’s eyes. “Especially this, especially _this_ from _me_. Do you understand?”

Scorpius spoke hesitantly. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I really do.”

His father exhaled through his nose and cocked his head. “Let me speak clearly then... You’re in a relationship with Albus Potter.”

“I — What? No? No, I’m not.” Scorpius heart had started pounding, but he ignored it. “I’m really not. We’re friends. Just because he's the light of my life doesn’t mean we’re dating. We’re friends! We're mates. We're friends who are boys, but not boyfriends.”

His father got up and started pacing the room. “The way you touch each other... And the way you look at him. It’s so sweet it makes me naus—” He broke off, turning the word into a hiss, and shook his head, the way he always did when he said something like that in Scorpius’ presence. Scorpius wished he wouldn’t.

His father stopped his steps and scrutinised Scorpius. “When I picked you up at King’s Cross earlier, you kissed him on the cheek.”

Scorpius’ cheeks heated up. “In a friendly way! Sort of,” he pitched his voice low, “‘Bye, mate.’ _Kiss_.”

His father pursed his lips in contemplation, then nodded. “I see. Well, even if there’s nothing going on between you two, if you ever feel like...I need you to know that there’d be no reason to feel ashamed.”

Scorpius took a deep breath. He'd been carrying these ideas around for a while, but he hadn't thought it might be something he could tell his father of all people. "I do —"

He broke off because he remembered 'especially _this_ from _me_ '.

“Wait, wait, are — are you...? _You_ are...?”

“Not —” His father cleared his throat. “Not gay, of course.” Scorpius geared up to say something. His father held up a hand. He was frowning like he did when he wrote a difficult letter, clenching his fingers. “I don’t...know the terminology.”

All of his breath left Scorpius. His father looked out the window. Scorpius wanted to hug him so badly he actually leaned forward on the settee.

“Oh, I —” Scorpius stammered. “That’s okay, that’s — You, er, do know that’s okay, right?”

His father gave an abrasive nod. Scorpius had never been good at reading him, but he looked relieved, maybe.

Scorpius licked his lips. “Well, you're not completely wrong, I suppose. I’m not dating Albus, but I sometimes think maybe I’d like to. To date Albus. I haven’t really thought it'd be relevant, I suppose, because Albus — he’d never — anyway.”

His father contemplated this. “You’ll be fine either way, Scorpius. Remember that. But I’d be surprised if this was really something one-sided for you.”

The Floo sounded in the Entrance Hall, and a hopeful little smile crept over Scorpius’ face.


End file.
